Some examples for reference:
Rock a bye Baby
Humpty Dumpty
Ring around the Rosie
Ding Dong Dell
It’s Raining is Pouring
Pop Goes the Weasel
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Many nursery rhymes reflected the political and social climate of the time. During an age when people died young and often in terrible circumstances, children weren’t sheltered and protected from the real world they way they are now.
Rock a bye Baby
This is the only one I found that wasn’t English in origin. It’s American in origin, about the Native American practice of suspending baby cradles from tree branches. A cautionary tale.
Humpty Dumpty was about King Charles I, who believed in the divine right of kings. Parliament resisted his power grab, Charles was convicted of treason and was beheaded (and “all of his horses and all of his men couldn’t put him together again”).
Ring around the Rosie (aka Ring a ring of roses) was about the effects of the Bubonic Plague.
Ding Dong Bell
Don’t be cruel to animals! Teaches the value of animals/livestock.
Pop Goes the Weasel
Derived from Cockney rhyming slang, means “pawn your coat” when you are down on your luck and need cash.
Could not find any info about “It’s Raining It’s Pouring” other than speculation that it was about the perils of drinking too much!
Source(s): http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/nursery_rhymes/rock_…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A288966,
http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/nursery_rhymes/ding_…
http://www.rhymes.org.uk/a116a-pop-goes-the-weasel…151